“Older Sister, no. I was wrong!”
Luna, who had rushed over, knelt at my feet. “Please forgive me! Sister, I don’t want to leave the duchy!”
“Why? It’s the position you wanted. Plus, I thought you liked Ash.” I responded as if remembering Luna’s shy face that day.
“No. Why would I want such a worthless person? I just thought you liked Ash Benio back then…!” Luna, who had been speaking hastily, bit her lip.
“Ah, so you coveted him because he was my fiancé?”
I could tell just by looking at the reflection of myself in Luna’s eyes. How cold my face must have looked to her.
“It’s not that, i-it’s just… A-anyway, he’s someone Older Sister discarded. Then he’s not right for me either. I don’t like it!”
Luna shook her head and clung to my skirt. Her hands, unable to grasp firmly, were pitiful.
“Older Sister, I don’t want to leave the duchy. My family is here. Where would I go?”
Watching her, I could only scoff. Even if it was a position beyond her station like the grand princess, she disliked it because it was a man ‘I’ had rejected.
“In the end, you’ve always coveted what I had.”
“Because everything Older Sister has is beautiful and glamorous, so…”
Looking at Luna, who was flushing and rambling, I felt odd.
“Luna, you brought this upon yourself.”
If she had behaved, she could have ascended to the position of the crown princess. Not just the lady of a fallen house but the crown princess and the female protagonist of this empire. But she lost her true place by coveting things beyond her reach.
“Ash despised and belittled me so much. And those who belittled me, do Older Sister think they would treat me as a person? I’m from Felicite! Why should I be disrespected by those people?”
She seemed desperate to persuade me, but it was futile.
“It’s too late, Luna. I gave you enough time.”
“Older Sister, I hate this! Just let me stay in the duchy!” Luna, who had been clinging to my skirt, now grabbed my hand. “I’m a Felicite!”
“No.”
“…Older Sister!”
As I lightly shook off her hand, Luna’s face twisted.
“There won’t be a second chance.” I turned and walked away.
“Older Sister! Older Sister!”
Her voice calling out to me was desperate, but it was no longer my concern.
* * *
It was after Siani left.
“Ha…” Luna caught her breath, her face buried in her hands. The moment Siani shook her off, as if shaking off dirt lingered in her hands.
“Luna.”
“What did you even do, Brother?” Luna, slowly raising her head, glared at Irik. “You told everything to older sister, didn’t you?”
“…”
“Right. To gain older sister’s approval, you would even sell me out!”
“Don’t exaggerate.” Irik ran his hand through his hair in annoyance. “What you did was embarrassing to even speak of.”
“Then how does older sister know everything?”
“Anyway, you’re no match for Siani Felicite.”
“…What?”
Luna’s face, which had been contorted in anger, suddenly calmed.
“I realized it while watching this. The reason Siani has been leaving you alone until now.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means you weren’t even worth the attention.”
That statement hit Luna harder than any other.
“I told you. Just enjoy what you have quietly. Why cause trouble coveting what Siani has?”
“Haha, it’s so funny…” Eventually, Luna let out a hollow laugh. “Older sister hates me because of Brother. You tormented older sister, and she ended up disliking me too.”
Luna’s eyes, glaring at Irik, reddened. “It’s all Brother’s fault, and now you’re blaming me?”
Irik, looking at her, was no longer surprised. It was as if he was accepting this was his sister’s true nature.
“Does Brother think anything will change by driving older sister and me apart? Ah, you think older sister will acknowledge you because you sold out your own sibling?”
“Yes.” Irik looked at the mocking Luna and answered. “Since you think you’re right, believe what you want.”
“Brother, really…”
Luna gripped her skirt so hard her hands shook. Their similarly blue eyes glared at each other.
“Why would I marry Ash Benio, someone older sister discarded? Why would I be with someone older sister doesn’t even look at!”
Determined, Luna got up from her seat. “I’ll never leave here.”
“…”
“So, Brother, wake up from your dream.”
Luna, having left the parlor, headed straight to the duke’s office. “Sir Lubel, I’ve come to see Uncle. Please let him know I’m here.”
“His Grace ordered not to let you in. Please leave.”
“What?”
Just as Luna narrowed her eyes, the duke came out of his office.
“Uncle! I have something to tell you.”
“…”
“You cared for my father. No, you cared for me like a daughter.”
But the duke’s gaze on Luna was colder than ever. “I didn’t expect you to break my trust like this, Luna.”
“Uncle!”
“I’m disappointed.”
“Uncle, no! It’s all lies! Please forgive me!”
“Go and apologize to Siani.” The duke turned away coldly and walked off.
“No. It can’t be. I won’t leave the duchy. I can’t.” Luna muttered, watching the duke’s retreating figure.
My family is here, my brother and my father. And my sister is here!
Right. Ash Benio.
Without a moment to calm her excitement, Luna rushed out.
* * *
It looks like she’s going to Ash as expected.
I didn’t return to my room but headed to the garden. Then, sitting at an outdoor table, I watched a carriage leave the main gate.
Since the duke wouldn’t support her, Luna would surely seek out Ash Benio. I could imagine Luna throwing a fit, insisting she would never marry him.
She wants to stay in the duchy? The more I thought about it, the more amusing Luna’s words were.
I knew the ending of the original story and Ash’s true character, but Luna did not. Yet, she disliked Ash that much. Even for a brief moment, she would have been the grand princess, yet she truly disliked the idea.
Indeed… To Luna, neither Ash nor the position of grand princess was that significant. If I picked up trash, she’d probably want to covet that trash too.
“Such people are the most tiring to deal with.”
While muttering quietly to myself,
“Are you alright?”
Someone’s voice seemed to be directed at me from behind.
“Rere?”
I craned my neck so far back I almost squinted. Ah, is it because of the blazing sun or his beauty? My eyes are dazzled.
“Did you come from training?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps that’s why Redian was dressed in black training clothes. Even in training clothes, I was reminded of the black cape fluttering over the emperor’s shoulders.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”
Until the annex was completed, Norma stayed in the west building. It seems encounters like this could happen inside the duchy.
“How do you find staying here?”
“It’s the same,” Redian answered my question as if it was nothing special.
After rescuing him from that dark and damp place, that’s all he had to say. I had chosen everything for his room, from his pajamas to his bedding, and even checked the humidity and temperature.
“I put so much effort into your room, and you say it’s the same?”
“Well.” However, Redian just shrugged indifferently.
Our Rere, always unimpressed by anything, I was about to retort when,
“Well, if I have to pick something good…” Redian, who had been quietly looking down at me, spoke. “Being able to see Master this often?”
“Ha… really.” I had to laugh in the end.
The male lead’s buff is indeed powerful.
Just then, a cool breeze blew, stirring Redian’s hair. Watching him, I seriously wondered. Was he really the kid locked up in the underground castle?
“Come sit next to me, Redian.”
My neck was starting to hurt from looking up. As I tapped the seat beside me, Redian came over and sat down.
“Master seems to be in a bad mood.”
“Right. I’m not in the best mood.”
I couldn’t understand why. I had swiftly dealt with the bothersome Luna and Ash.
“What can I do to make it better?”
“…What?”
“You said you’re in a bad mood.”
“Well. How can I make myself better?”
Our gazes met in the air. Under the sunlight, his blue eyes appeared transparent.
“I don’t know either. What do you do in times like this?”
“Um, then…” At that moment, Redian’s lips curled into a lazy smile. “From now on, I can do as I please, right?”
“Older Sister, no. I was wrong!”
Luna, who had rushed over, knelt at my feet. “Please forgive me! Sister, I don’t want to leave the duchy!”
“Why? It’s the position you wanted. Plus, I thought you liked Ash.” I responded as if remembering Luna’s shy face that day.
“No. Why would I want such a worthless person? I just thought you liked Ash Benio back then…!” Luna, who had been speaking hastily, bit her lip.
“Ah, so you coveted him because he was my fiancé?”
I could tell just by looking at the reflection of myself in Luna’s eyes. How cold my face must have looked to her.
“It’s not that, i-it’s just… A-anyway, he’s someone Older Sister discarded. Then he’s not right for me either. I don’t like it!”
Luna shook her head and clung to my skirt. Her hands, unable to grasp firmly, were pitiful.
“Older Sister, I don’t want to leave the duchy. My family is here. Where would I go?”
Watching her, I could only scoff. Even if it was a position beyond her station like the grand princess, she disliked it because it was a man ‘I’ had rejected.
“In the end, you’ve always coveted what I had.”
“Because everything Older Sister has is beautiful and glamorous, so…”
Looking at Luna, who was flushing and rambling, I felt odd.
“Luna, you brought this upon yourself.”
If she had behaved, she could have ascended to the position of the crown princess. Not just the lady of a fallen house but the crown princess and the female protagonist of this empire. But she lost her true place by coveting things beyond her reach.
“Ash despised and belittled me so much. And those who belittled me, do Older Sister think they would treat me as a person? I’m from Felicite! Why should I be disrespected by those people?”
She seemed desperate to persuade me, but it was futile.
“It’s too late, Luna. I gave you enough time.”
“Older Sister, I hate this! Just let me stay in the duchy!” Luna, who had been clinging to my skirt, now grabbed my hand. “I’m a Felicite!”
“No.”
“…Older Sister!”
As I lightly shook off her hand, Luna’s face twisted.
“There won’t be a second chance.” I turned and walked away.
“Older Sister! Older Sister!”
Her voice calling out to me was desperate, but it was no longer my concern.
* * *
It was after Siani left.
“Ha…” Luna caught her breath, her face buried in her hands. The moment Siani shook her off, as if shaking off dirt lingered in her hands.
“Luna.”
“What did you even do, Brother?” Luna, slowly raising her head, glared at Irik. “You told everything to older sister, didn’t you?”
“…”
“Right. To gain older sister’s approval, you would even sell me out!”
“Don’t exaggerate.” Irik ran his hand through his hair in annoyance. “What you did was embarrassing to even speak of.”
“Then how does older sister know everything?”
“Anyway, you’re no match for Siani Felicite.”
“…What?”
Luna’s face, which had been contorted in anger, suddenly calmed.
“I realized it while watching this. The reason Siani has been leaving you alone until now.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means you weren’t even worth the attention.”
That statement hit Luna harder than any other.
“I told you. Just enjoy what you have quietly. Why cause trouble coveting what Siani has?”
“Haha, it’s so funny…” Eventually, Luna let out a hollow laugh. “Older sister hates me because of Brother. You tormented older sister, and she ended up disliking me too.”
Luna’s eyes, glaring at Irik, reddened. “It’s all Brother’s fault, and now you’re blaming me?”
Irik, looking at her, was no longer surprised. It was as if he was accepting this was his sister’s true nature.
“Does Brother think anything will change by driving older sister and me apart? Ah, you think older sister will acknowledge you because you sold out your own sibling?”
“Yes.” Irik looked at the mocking Luna and answered. “Since you think you’re right, believe what you want.”
“Brother, really…”
Luna gripped her skirt so hard her hands shook. Their similarly blue eyes glared at each other.
“Why would I marry Ash Benio, someone older sister discarded? Why would I be with someone older sister doesn’t even look at!”
Determined, Luna got up from her seat. “I’ll never leave here.”
“…”
“So, Brother, wake up from your dream.”
Luna, having left the parlor, headed straight to the duke’s office. “Sir Lubel, I’ve come to see Uncle. Please let him know I’m here.”
“His Grace ordered not to let you in. Please leave.”
“What?”
Just as Luna narrowed her eyes, the duke came out of his office.
“Uncle! I have something to tell you.”
“…”
“You cared for my father. No, you cared for me like a daughter.”
But the duke’s gaze on Luna was colder than ever. “I didn’t expect you to break my trust like this, Luna.”
“Uncle!”
“I’m disappointed.”
“Uncle, no! It’s all lies! Please forgive me!”
“Go and apologize to Siani.” The duke turned away coldly and walked off.
“No. It can’t be. I won’t leave the duchy. I can’t.” Luna muttered, watching the duke’s retreating figure.
My family is here, my brother and my father. And my sister is here!
Right. Ash Benio.
Without a moment to calm her excitement, Luna rushed out.
* * *
It looks like she’s going to Ash as expected.
I didn’t return to my room but headed to the garden. Then, sitting at an outdoor table, I watched a carriage leave the main gate.
Since the duke wouldn’t support her, Luna would surely seek out Ash Benio. I could imagine Luna throwing a fit, insisting she would never marry him.
She wants to stay in the duchy? The more I thought about it, the more amusing Luna’s words were.
I knew the ending of the original story and Ash’s true character, but Luna did not. Yet, she disliked Ash that much. Even for a brief moment, she would have been the grand princess, yet she truly disliked the idea.
Indeed… To Luna, neither Ash nor the position of grand princess was that significant. If I picked up trash, she’d probably want to covet that trash too.
“Such people are the most tiring to deal with.”
While muttering quietly to myself,
“Are you alright?”
Someone’s voice seemed to be directed at me from behind.
“Rere?”
I craned my neck so far back I almost squinted. Ah, is it because of the blazing sun or his beauty? My eyes are dazzled.
“Did you come from training?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps that’s why Redian was dressed in black training clothes. Even in training clothes, I was reminded of the black cape fluttering over the emperor’s shoulders.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”
Until the annex was completed, Norma stayed in the west building. It seems encounters like this could happen inside the duchy.
“How do you find staying here?”
“It’s the same,” Redian answered my question as if it was nothing special.
After rescuing him from that dark and damp place, that’s all he had to say. I had chosen everything for his room, from his pajamas to his bedding, and even checked the humidity and temperature.
“I put so much effort into your room, and you say it’s the same?”
“Well.” However, Redian just shrugged indifferently.
Our Rere, always unimpressed by anything, I was about to retort when,
“Well, if I have to pick something good…” Redian, who had been quietly looking down at me, spoke. “Being able to see Master this often?”
“Ha… really.” I had to laugh in the end.
The male lead’s buff is indeed powerful.
Just then, a cool breeze blew, stirring Redian’s hair. Watching him, I seriously wondered. Was he really the kid locked up in the underground castle?
“Come sit next to me, Redian.”
My neck was starting to hurt from looking up. As I tapped the seat beside me, Redian came over and sat down.
“Master seems to be in a bad mood.”
“Right. I’m not in the best mood.”
I couldn’t understand why. I had swiftly dealt with the bothersome Luna and Ash.
“What can I do to make it better?”
“…What?”
“You said you’re in a bad mood.”
“Well. How can I make myself better?”
Our gazes met in the air. Under the sunlight, his blue eyes appeared transparent.
“I don’t know either. What do you do in times like this?”
“Um, then…” At that moment, Redian’s lips curled into a lazy smile. “From now on, I can do as I please, right?”
